Harness-bit attachment.



No. 773,083. PATENTED 001?. 25, 1904.

' R. MATTHIES.

HARNESS BIT ATTACHMENT.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.28.1904.

N0 MODEL.

Hctomegs UNITED STATES I Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MATTHIES, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA.

HARNESS-BIT ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,083, dated October25, 19Q4.

Application filedMarqhZB, 1904.

To (1 66 w/wm it 7%6LZ/ concern: Be it known thatLRoBER'r MATTHIEs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Ham mond, in the county ofLake and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Harness-BitAttachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness-bits; and it has particularreferenceto an improved bit by means of which the head of the horseshall be under perfect control at all times, the special purpose beingto prevent the horse from throwing back his head and breaking into a Thedevice is in the nature of an attachment to an ordinary bit inconnection with which it may be used or from which it may be separatedwhenever desired.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a preferredconstruction of my invention, it being understood, however, that I donot necessarily limit myself to the structural details thereinexhibited, but reserve the right to any changes, alterations, andmodifications which may be resorted to within the scope of the inventionand without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the same. I

' In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bit' constructedin accordance with the principlesof the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of a portion of the device. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on anenlarged scale, taken through the bit and illustrating a portion of theattachment. Fig. 4 is a perspectivev'iew, on an enlarged scale, of theattaching means whereby the device is connected with the girth orbelly-band.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference; V

In connection withthis device is employed a bit-bar l of ordinaryconstruction provided near the ends thereof with perforations 2 2 forthe purpose of receiving the rings 3 3,

Serial-110,200,400. (NomodeL) whereby the bit is connected with thecheekstraps of the bridle and with the driving-reins.

5, upon which they are secured by means of nuts 11. The bar,8, which isto control the head of the horse, is to be connected securely with somefixed part of the harness, and I have selected the girth or belly-bandas the most suitable point of attachment. In order to reduce weight,however, the bar 8 is made of no great length; but it is connectedadjustably Withan extension-bar 12, which may be constructed of anysuitable light tough wood or other material and which at the lower endthereof is bent to form a crook 13, which will readily extendbetween thefore legs of the horse to the desired point of attachment, Theextension-bar '12-, like the bar 8, is made flat, and it is graduallytapered toward its point, which forms a comparatively sharp edge, aswill be seen at 14.' Tothe bar 12, near the point thereof, is secured aband or loop 15.

An additional movable band or loop 16 is pro-- vided, having aset-screw17, by means of which the proximate sides of the bars 8 and 12may be compressed against each other.

17 designates a socket made preferably of leather and provided withslits 18, through which are passed short leather buckle-straps 19, bymeans of which the said socket may be secured to the girth or belly-bandor surcingle, .as the case may be. The socket 17 has an additional strap20, secured to the lower edge thereof and adapted to engage the buckle21, which is suitably attached to or connected with the curved portionof the bar 4:. The latter may thus be disconnected from the socket 17 bysimply unbuckling the strap 20, and the socket maybe left in its placefor future use.

From the foregoing description, taken in skilled in the art to which itappertains.

connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation andadvantages of this invention will be readily understood by those It willbe seen that the device may be separated from the bridle-bit by simplyremoving the nuts 11 from the bolts with which the forked portion of thebar is connected. These bolts 5, it will be seen, serve not only for'the attachment of the bar 8 and its related parts, but also for theattachment of the nose-strap '7, which it may also at times be desiredto dispense with, especially when it is desired to use the bit inconnection with a bridle which is already equipped with a nose-strap.The bars 8 and 12 may be very conveniently and effectively adjusted asto length, the keeper 15 being disposed near the thinnest end of the bar12, which will enable the bar 8 to be moved through the keeper to thefull extent of its length. On the other hand, the link or keeper 16,having the set-screw 17, is of sufficient dimensions to be moveddownwardly upon the thicker portion of the bar 12, thereby adapting itto be clamped efficiently and securely upon the lower end of the bar 8,thereby connecting the members 8 and 12 with a great degree of rigidityand security. The bar member 12, which constitutes the greater portionof the length of the combined members 8 and 12 is made of relativelylight but at the same time of a springy or resilient material, so thatthe head of the horse while confined within reasonable limits is free tomove within prescribed bounds.

The device is simple, inexpensive, and useful for the purposesindicated.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination with abit-bar having perforated ends, of bolts extending through saidperforated ends and having slotted heads, and a nose-strap connectedwith the slotted bolt-heads.

2. The combination with a bit-bar having perforated ends, of boltsextending through said ends, and a bifurcated controlling-bar,

the limbs or members of which have perforations engaging the bolts.

3. The combination with a bit having perforations at the ends thereof,of bolts extending through said perforations and having slotted heads, anose-strap connected with the slotted bolt-heads, and a bifurcatedcontrolling-bar, the limbs or the members of which have perforationsengaging the bolts.

4:. The combination with a bit-bar, of a bifurcated controlling-bar,bolts connecting the limbs of said controlling-bar detachably with theends of the bit-bar, said bolts having slots in the heads thereof, anose-strap connected detachably with said slots, and an extensionbarconnected adjustably with the body of the bifurcated controlling-bar.

5. The combination'with a bit-bar, of a bifurcated controlling-barhaving a curved extension member connected adjustably therewith, abuckle connected with said adjustable extension member, a socketconnected detachably witha fixed point of attachment, and a buckle-strapconnected with said socket and adapted to engage the buckle upon theadjustable extension-bar.

6. The combination with a bit, of a bifurcated controlling-bar connectedwith the bitbar, an extension-bar connected adjustably with saidcontrolling-bar, a socket connected with a relatively fixed point ofattachment, a connecting-strap at the upper edge of said socket, and abuckle secured to the extension of the controlling-bar near thesocket-engaging end of the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT MATTHI ES.

Witnesses J. A. Govrr, NEWTON A. Hmnmorr.

